Deeply grasping the foreign policy of the Party and State, the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) has been intensifying its international activities in order to strengthen coordination to build a sea of peace, friendship and development. VCG’s principles, contents and forms of international cooperation comply with the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard in 2018.
VCG’s principles of international cooperation are prescribed in Article 19 of this Law. Accordingly, VCG implements international cooperation on the basis of compliance with Vietnam’s laws, international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory and agreed upon within its competence; respect for basic principles of international law; ensuring national independence, sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction; protecting national interests, legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organisations and individuals operating on sea. At the same time, promoting internal strength and support and assistance of the international community to ensure law enforcement at sea.
The contents of international cooperation of VCG include: (1) Preventing and combating piracy and armed robbery; (2) Preventing and combating drug crime, trafficking, illegal weapon sales, terrorism, illegal entry and exit, illegal cross-border trafficking and transportation of goods, illegal fishing, criminals, law violations at sea within the scope, duties and powers of VCG; (3) Preventing and controlling pollution and preventing, responding and remediating marine environmental incidents; controlling and conserving marine resources; protecting marine biodiversity and ecosystems; preventing, controlling and warning natural disaster; humanitarian assistance, disaster response; search and rescue at sea within the scope of duties and powers of VCG; (4) professional training and retraining, experience exchange, science and technology transfer to improve the capacity of the VCG; (5) International cooperation contents in accordance with Vietnam law, international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory and agreements relating to the duties and powers of VCG.
Forms of international cooperation of VCG include: exchanging information on security, order and safety at sea; holding or attending international conferences and seminars on security, order, safety and law enforcement at sea; signing agreements with the functional forces of countries and international organisations according to provisions of law; coordinating patrol, inspection and control to maintain security, order and safety and ensure compliance with laws at sea; participating in drills, training; holding reception and visit of marine law enforcers of countries in the region and around the world; carrying out activities of the standing agency and liaison agency of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in accordance with the provisions of Vietnam law, international treaties to which Vietnam has signed and acceded. Forms of international cooperation in accordance with Vietnam law, international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has signed or acceded.
Good implementation of international cooperation activities is an important prerequisite for VCG to well fulfill its assigned functions and tasks, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for building and defending the country early and from a distance.
Pham Binh